WHAT IS THE GLOBAL OBESITY CRISIS?

Almost a quarter of the world's population will be obese in less than 30 years, according to research published in May.

If obesity trends continue, 22 per cent of people around the world will be severely overweight by 2045, up from 14 per cent last year, a study found.

One in eight people, rather than today's one in 11, are also expected to develop type 2 diabetes, the research adds.

Lead author Dr Alan Moses, from the Denmark-based pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, said: 'These numbers underline the staggering challenge the world will face in the future in terms of numbers of people who are obese, or have type 2 diabetes, or both.

'As well as the medical challenges these people will face, the costs to countries' health systems will be enormous.'

People with type 2 diabetes have an average life expectancy of just 55 due to them being at a much higher risk of heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease.

Tam Fry, a health campaigner from the National Obesity Forum said the findings were 'desperately sad'.